Peach And Samus's Holiday Hang Ups
by DianaGohan
Summary: Yes people I'm back with a story... well the first part of one anyway. In 2010 after the event of "ROB's Secret Santa" Peach and Samus meet up. Last time they had Peach had promised the holiday miracle would bring Samus's parents back which didn't happen. How will these two ladies rectify this situation and how do these past events tie into their future destiny?


Hey everyone! Been awhile but I'm presenting you all with a new Smash Brothers Christmas story… yes one that came out weeks after Christmas but had other things/laziness pop up but still trying to get this tale out there. This is one that in a sense has been a long time coming as part of this has gestated over the years, but most of this I just thought up one day and just had to get down. If you have been following me or remember my old Christmas stories this takes place in that "Christmas" Universe of Smash Brothers that includes "Ganondorf's Secret Santa", "R.O.B'S Secret Santa" "Secret Santa Snake" and "Sonic's Christmas Last." This is especially sort of a "sequel" to "Ganondorf's Secret Santa" and "R.O.B's Secret Santa" (which you should really read/re-read to get the full story of this one) albeit with a twist. What is that twist? Well you're going to have to read later chapters for the full story but as this is the one I have wanted to get out for so long, doing that first. Super Smash Brothers and any associated characters do not belong to me. They belong to Nintendo and many other associated companies and I make no profit off of this work. I am just a writer with a lot of ideas and this is one I was able to get out that I hope the rest of you are able to enjoy. With that said here's the tale

"Peach And Samus's Holiday Hang Ups"  
By DianaGohan

We pan to the second floor of the Smash Brothers mansion. Specifically we pass past a Calendar that marks the date as "December 27th, 2010" as we see Princess Peach (wearing a festive green and red alternate variation of her standard dress with bright red high heeled shoes and a white bow in her blond hair) walking down the hallway as she then stopped in front of one of the closed doors in the hallway.

'Okay Samus is next on the list' she thought to herself, looking down at a notepad housing all the smashers names (up to the Brawl Tournament anyway) as she looked at the closed red door, sighing some. 'Getting bananas and money or even a wide audience to listen to your singing is one sing but... I have no idea how I would go about getting her wish"

Peach then recalled herself as the Angel Peachy, converting Samus Aran into the angel Sammie Aranis. "SAMMIE ARANIS REPORTING FOR DUTY" the Samus Angel chirped out in the flashback, Peach recalling her wearing a bright, happy smile. "I'LL HELP OUT MY FAMILY ANYWAY I CAN, SO I CAN FINALLY REUNITE WITH THEM THIS CHRISTMAS."

The flashback ended as Peach looked sadly at the door. 'I couldn't even bring back my...' more sad thought came to her mind as she quickly shook them away. 'No, can't go there now. This is about making everyone else happy, not about going to that sad place.' She then leaned forward, politely knocking on the door a few times. "Samus? Are you in there?" she asked.

Peach waited a few moments before hearing a voice. "Hey Sammie, someone's at the door" Peach leaned closer, hearing the sounds of horse racing on the other side.

"It's not MH is it?" asked another voice as the gun shots and horse sounds quickly paused. "We're nearly at a good save state."

"No it's Peach" said the first voice.

Peach leaned even closer, hearing a back and forth whispered conversation she couldn't quite make out before hearing Samus's voice. "Okay, let her in" the bounty huntress stated. The door opened and Peach looked in seeing Samus (wearing a blue T-shirt, brown pants and brown sneakers, a yellow cap hiding her ponytail) sitting on the ground. By the door was Kirby and next to Samus was Pikachu, the two's attention towards the glowing TV in the middle of the room which had a blanket pulled on top of it. There was also a blanket covering something else in front of them, though Peach quickly saw whatever it was had wires that connected to the TV. "Oh hey Peach" Samus said casually, turning over to her. "How's it going?"

"Fairly well" the princess said, putting her hands delicately in front of her. "I was wondering if I could discuss something with you, but if you were busy with something else..."

"Eh for only about 10 more minutes" Pikachu pointed out, rolling his hand.

"Pfft with the way you were riding, you should probably make that twenty" Samus quipped.

Pikachu turned to her. "Hey I was just getting my bearing, that's all. Plus I need to make sure we come in first place."

"Well then you should stop crashing into the other riders."

"Hey that last time was accidentally."

"And the time before that?"

"Okay that one was more for fun, but..." Pikachu looked to see Peach starring confused at the two. "Pssst, Kirby make an adorable distraction" Pikachu ordered.

Kirby nodded, jumping and twirling around Peach. "Hey Peach I'm adorably distracting you" Kirby said in his usually peppy voice.

The princess giggled gently, grabbing Kirby and lightly hugging him. "Well it's working, at least the adorable part" she said, lightly petting his head before looking at the others. "Again I don't want to get in the way of your game or anything. I just wanted to talk to Samus about her Christmas wish-"

"Oooh Christmas wish?" Kirby asked, squealing happily. "Sammie Sammie, Peach is going to bake you an infinity pie" he stated, looking over at her. "Can I please have half/more than half of your left overs?"

"Kirby, everyone gets different Christmas wishes" Pikachu explained, pointing over to him. "You can't take Samus's for your own."

"What about sharing for my own and everyone?" Kirby asked as Pikachu just shook his head. "Oh well worth a shot" Kirby said, hopping out of Peach's arms.

"Wait, what's this about Christmas wishes?" Samus asked, poking Pikachu on the head. "You and Kirby were getting extra secret presents behind my back, Surgio?"

The Pikachu known as Surgio turned to her. "Hey you're getting something too" he then held out his paw. "See for doing that whole angel thing to restore R.O.B's people, Peach is going around giving everyone an additional awesome present, one smasher at a time." The electric mouse smirked and crossed his arms. "And while some people use that wish for food, I found a much more practical and lasting use for it." He then held out a blue glowing credit card. "This little untraceable baby lets me get things without alerting old MH about it and getting some super angry lecture."

Samus then smirked some. "Ah so that's why you bragged so much about getting an "impossible" copy of a 360 and Red Dead Redemption."

Pikachu gasped, waving his hands. "Hey hey hey, no giving away the secret to outsiders."

Samus pointed over at Peach. "You really would consider Peach an outsider to anything in the mansion?"

"Hey rules I made up are still rules... I made up so follow them."

The bounty hunter then looked over at Peach more closely, various memories flooding her mind as a dour frown appeared on her face. "Fine then please take your "mystery gift" back to your room" Samus stated in a less jovial tone then before, standing up and walking closer to Peach. "I'd like to talk about my "Christmas Wish" more personally with the princess."

Surgio looked up into Samus's expression. "Uh sure thing" he quickly said, immediately disconnecting a wire from the TV and quickly wrapping the wires into the device in the blanket as he pointed over at Kirby. "Come on Kirb we're starting over the uh "mission" in your room."

"Okay" Kirby asked innocently enough waving at the two ladies. "Bye Sammy and Peachy."

"Goodbye" Samus said casually as Surgio quickly exited the room, Kirby following after him as they started moving quickly along the hall.

Halfway down Kirby gently poked Pikachu on the shoulder. "Hey why did Sammy want us to leave?" The pink puffball asked looking rather confused.

"Probably because Samus asked for something a bit more substantial for her wish then food and credit cards."

"Like..." Kirby then thought a moment looking down sadly. "Oh."

"Yeah, best we check in later and see if she's alright then make a pretty awkward situation even worse."

Over in Samus's room the bounty hunter quickly walked over and shut the door before turning to Peach, an even more sour expression on her face. "Honestly, I was hoping to talk to you one on one about that whole... experience, because I've got some things to say about it."

The Mushroom princess looked into Samus's eyes and delicately moved forward. "I figured as much" Peach admitted, trying her best to produce a smile. "So whatever you have to say, tell me. I want to know and... Find a way to make you happy."

"If you really wanted that, then you wouldn't have LIED to me" Samus sighed, putting a hand on her heart. "Look I get we aren't the closest of friends or anything and that sometimes I can still be distant with you. I'm trying to work on that though and be more open, even if parts of me still want or even need to hide things. I feel I've made some major progress on that front and we've at least come to some sort of understanding which is... something I thought you felt as well." Samus then recalled grabbing a letter off the ground Peach had written about.

"Dear Samus, I hope you have a very merry holiday season" Samus and Peach recalled in Peach's letter, the princess (in her angelic form) remembering Samus carefully looking down and reading her words. "I know your skills as a fighter are top notch but I want you to know, I think you're a top notch friend too. I'm so glad you've been opening up more since I've been a part of this tournament, because I think it's a lot better to be social, then on the sidelines simply observing others having fun. Anyway I don't want to prattle on so I just wish you whatever your heart desires this Christmas season. Love, Peach"

The flashback ended as Peach looked confused. "I wasn't lying about that" she said putting her hand on her own heart. "I really do think you're a top notch friend and I'm glad you wish to be more open then you have been in the past."

"Then why did you try and bribe me with the impossible?" Samus asked aggressively, clenching her teeth as well as her fist, holding back a swell of anger. "I didn't need an additional Christmas wish or gift or anything. All you needed to tell me was you were transforming everyone into angels so we could save R.O.B's people. You really think I'm so shallow that I would ignore a cry of help just because I wasn't getting anything from it?"

"Of... of course not" Peach said, the expression on Samus's face making any smile on her part impossible as she looked down. "I... just needed to-"

"You just needed to tell me the truth!" Samus yelled out, recalling seeing the Angel version of Peach named Peachy for the first time and being freaked out some. "If you had just told me why you had transformed and were an angel and what you were doing... that's all the convincing I would have needed to join you." Samus then recalls transforming into an angel and hugging the angel version of Peach. "Yeah I don't like being dressy or being possessed or anything but... that's small potatoes if it meant saving and restoring an entire species. I've done far worse and terrible and awful things that were of far less importance so... why would this be different?"

"I... I wanted you to be happy" Peach muttered, holding herself and trying to stop herself form crying.

"Then don't lie to me about my parents!" Samus screamed, doing a much better job holding back her tears as she moved closer, now right in front of Peach as she starred down angrily at the mushroom princess. "Do you know how heartbreaking it was to go through those memories again? Having that hope, that desire that this incredible, amazing miracle could bring them back as well? To bring back all the people that I lost over the years and find out it isn't happening? That the promise YOU made me didn't come true?"

In the flashback the transformed angel Peachy was shown in front of a crying Samus. Samus looked at her before nodding and holding out her hand. "I'll do anything I can to get them back. To see them again."

"WE WILL GIVE YOU THAT" Peachy then grabbed her hand as a light was shown swishing around Samus...

This ended the flashback once more. In the "present", Samus the punched the wall right next to Peach, her anger dying down as she just looked away, sadly and bitterly. "I've gotten use to others having their families around, of knowing my pain and misfortune is not everyone else's. Honestly I'm glad they haven't lost what I have, really I'm happy for them not sharing my anguish But... but that doesn't mean I want to be lied to that I could experience such reunions... such love like that. And to have that from you it just... it just really pisses me off. Since honestly, if there was one person I believed could do such a thing, it'd be you Peach." Samus held herself now having turned away fully from the mushroom princess. "You've done the impossible and the incredible before and... seeing what you were doing filled me with such hope and joy I haven't experienced in ages. And then to find out it didn't happen... hurts so, so much. And... And I want to know why Peach. Why you would honestly lie to me like that... hurt me so much when... when you should BE better than that."

Samus then heard Peach collapse to the ground. The bounty hunter quickly turned back shocked to see the Mushroom Princess uncontrollably bawling on the ground, crying harder and louder then she had ever seen before as huge wells of tears cascaded down her face. "I'm sorry!" Peach blubbered out between her crying, harshly pounding the ground as her entire body was shaking. "I'm so, so sorry" she continued crying, making no effort to stop her tears as she tried looking up at Samus, her vision so blurry she could barely even see the bounty hunter looking down at her. "I...I just wanted everyone to be happy. To... to get whatever they wanted." Peach recalled first being approached by the spirits of R. all floating around her. "But I was so foolish so... so desperate I betrayed all your trust because I... I didn't want them to suffer so I... I" she let out more screams of sadness, crying so much she began a harsh coughing fit, having to hold her stomach and starring down at now the pool of tears below her.

The bounty hunter quickly kneeled to the ground, a good chunk of anger towards the princess having flushed away with Peach's tears as she lightly put her hand on the mushroom leader's shoulder. "Peach" Samus said softly, the mushroom princess managing to look up and see Samus looking over concerned at her.

This caused Peach to jump over and hug Samus tightly, now crying into the bounty hunter's chest, wrapping her arms around the galactic warrior as tightly as she could. "Please I know... I know I hurt you and I... will never, EVER be able to apologize enough for that but please... please don't hate me" Peach desperately pleaded, looking up at Samus. "Please Samus please let me find a way to make this up to you. To... make right what I've made so wrong. I... I don't want this... I don't want anything to... ruin our friendship our... connection."

"I don't hate you" Samus said, gently patting Peach's shoulder. "I just want to know why you lied to me about that."

"It... it wasn't supposed to be a lie" Peach admitted, rubbing her tear filled face on Samus's shoulder, the two now sitting on the ground. "I... I lost my parents as well" Peach admitted, Samus actually looking a bit shocked as Peach continued to cry into the hunter. "I know it wasn't in the awful violent... horrible way you did but... I know that pain and... I would never, EVER lie about the chance of... being able to see them again" for the first time in several minutes, Peach tried stopping the swell of tears coming down her face, moving up to look Samus in the eyes as directly as she could. "When the angel me... when that spirit said that at the time I... I truly believed I had a found a way to make that come true for... for both of us." She put her hands around Samus's shoulders. "That this miracle that could bring back R.O.B's people would... reunite us with those we lost as well. That we would go to our personal heaven where we would... never lose those we love... ever again."

Samus actually looked shocked at this. "Wait you... you actually were trying to bring them back?" she asked, her voice breaking some.

Peach nodded. "Of course I... I could feel your sadness and anguish and... Wanted to make your wish come true but... but I couldn't. I... I... it... I..." Peach then went back to bawling, once more crying into Samus uncontrollably, and her body shaking even more than it had before.

The bounty huntress actually beamed a small smile, tightly hugging Peach back. "Its okay" she whispered into Peach's ear. "I forgive you."

The mushroom princess gasped, managing to look back up at Samus. "You... you do?" she asked, in an honest state of disbelieve.

Samus nodded, gently wiping off some of Peach's tears from her eyes. "Yeah and I'm... sorry I made you cry so much" the bounty huntress admitted, looking down ashamed. "I really did think you were lying or at least trying to bribe me to help out. I never considered you really were trying and just... weren't able to."

"I really wanted everyone's wishes to come true" Peach said recalling her coming to everyone as an angel and offering her hand. "I wasn't offering your heart's desires because it'd be the only way you guys would agree. I... I know how amazing and incredible and lovely our family is-"

"Well most of them" Samus said, managing to beam a sad smirk. "Some really would have only agreed to help for a bribe."

"But you and... and so many others wouldn't. But... but what I was asking of you to do... I needed to make you all happy. To... give everyone what they truly were asking. I... I j-j-j-j-just..." Peach started bawling once more, leaning her face right next to Samus's.

"Shhhhhhhhhhh" Samus said, gently rocking Peach into her arms. "You don't need to keep beating yourself up over what happened" the bounty huntress stated, her grip on Peach tightening enough so she was able to pick herself and the princess off the floor. "Trust me, I've been there" Samus recalled, various memories of missions against the Metroids, specifically one of her banging against a space pod as a Federation officer named Adam was shown giving a thumbs up on the other side before the ship he was on exploding specifically sticking out. "After my training was complete and I joined the federation I thought I could do the impossible... that I could save everyone no matter what and that no challenge would be too difficult for me to achieve." At this point the two were standing up, Peach still holding Samus tightly for support as the bounty huntress looked away forlorn. "When I realized I could fail... that I couldn't save everyone, that... the ones I loved still died around me... I... nearly lost myself. For years I was just this unfeeling... unresponsive creature and... If it wasn't for coming here... meeting Surgio" various memories of encountering Pikachu at the original tournament filled her mind as Samus shook her head. "Let's just say it took a lot for me to realize that sometimes you will fail in what you try to achieve that... that sometimes you have to deal with losing no matter what you do." Samus then looked back at Peach, smiling some at her. "However Peach if your loss is just that you could bring back someone's family... folks who were suffering and were trapped in purgatory and giving them a chance at life again and... just failing to bring back people we loved that are beyond such miracles then... that's not a failure, a loss you should beat yourself up for."

"But I... I was going to..." Peach then looked up, seeing Samus still smiling at her as her shaking started lessening. "So... so you really don't hate me then?"

"Of course I don't hate you" Samus said, light rubbing the princess's hair. "Just because I was angry at you didn't mean I hated you and again I was angry because I thought you were lying. If I thought it was because you failed well... I would have approached this a lot better and I'm really sorry I didn't."

"No it's... its okay" Peach said, rubbing some of her own tears away. "I'm just... so relieved you have forgiven me for... for what happened" she then hugged Samus tightly again, gently kissing her on the cheek. "I... still want to make it up to you though" Peach admitted. "I still want to make your Christmas wish and miracle come true because... you're an amazing, incredible person who like... like everyone else in our family deserves to be as happy as possible."

"You too" Samus said, leaning down some to gently kiss Peach on the cheek before pulling back. "Especially for... someone else whose been through that level of loss and... isn't able to get that back."

Peach sighed, looking away sadly. "When going over what everyone wanted and offering it to them now I... I tried finding another way of bringing them back" the princess admitted. "Life mushrooms, magic star wishes, time travel. Every option... every possibility though it... it just won't work for one reason or another. Like you would need the body or... would just create another reality not your own or... is beyond the power of even gods-"

"Again please don't beat yourself up for failing to do something no one could achieve" Samus repeated, gently rubbing her shoulder. "It's not going to make you feel any better and that isn't going to make me feel any better either."

"I know but... I... still wanted... still needed to try but couldn't find any way to get them back... like I couldn't find a way to... to get mine back..."

Samus sighed heavily as well. "Yeah guess we just have to accept that they're gone" Despite the situation, the bounty huntress chuckled a bit. "Something I swear I had fully done decades ago but... guess I still had clung onto to some sad bit of hope buried deep down."

"Me too" Peach also despite what was being said giggled a bit. "I'm probably even worse though. You know... I don't think I even had a funeral or... memorial for them or anything. I just couldn't at the time and don't know if well... now would..."

Samus thought for a second, actually getting a big smile on her face. "Actually, now might be the best time for that." Peach was a bit surprised as the bounty huntress grabbed her hand, moving out of the room. "You still want to make my Christmas wish come true right?"

"Of course" Peach said looking around as she saw Samus dragging them down the hallway. "Why?"

"Well I haven't done that stage of grieving either and... maybe something we could never do alone we can do together." She said, pointing back at her. "So hope your gardening game is as good as they say princess, because my Christmas wish is going to require your particular skills in that regard."

Getting what Samus was suggesting, Peach nodded at this. "Of course they are" she said, for the first time since the two were alone managing to beam a pure smile at the blond bounty hunter. "Though we will need to make a couple of stops to get my tools and some proper jackets if you wish to do this outside."

Samus then stopped, looking back a bit sheepishly. "Yeah good point" she admitted, rubbing her head. "Probably should of stopped first to get mine just got so excited at... something I never thought I would."

"It's okay" Peach said, gently squeezing Samus's hand. "I'm in no hurry to do this."

"Really?" Samus asked, holding out her other hand. "Because even by 12 days of Christmas logic you still only have like about 10 days to make everyone wishes come true and not sure how many of those you've granted yet."

"Not counting you about 11 so far" Peach admitted. "But honestly the spirit and love of the season can extend as long as you wish it to be and... even if it meant granting Christmas miracles in Easter I'd still be up for that."

"Yeah, I don't think the religious sect would appreciate the bleed over, but I get the sediment." Samus rolls her hand. "Still I'd like to take of this now while I'm feeling it and not wind up getting cold feet or whatever on seeing this through." Peach simply nodded as the two took off again down the hallway.

A couple of hours in the backyard of the mansion, Peach (now also dressed in a long pink coat, cap, gloves and Scarf) and Samus (in her standard winter attire) were shown in front of a recently dug section of ground that had a umbrella top blocking the light layer of snow from hitting the are below them. Which was revealed to be a pair of tombstones (with a much larger dug up area behind them where more tombstones could be placed) one which had a bouquet of pink flowers laid on top of it with the words "In Memory of Penelope and Perry Toadstool", while the other had a bouquet of crimson colored flowers on top with the words "In Memory of Virginia and Chief Rodney Aran" marked on it.

Samus and Peach then kneeled down in front of the tombstones, the mushroom princess smiling over at the space bounty hunter. "Ready?" she asked, extending her hand out.

The galactic federation soldier looked over at the grave solemnly, then back at Peach, slowly nodding as she gently grabbed Peach's hand, lightly squeezing it. "Yeah but... think you could go first?"

"Of course" Peach then turned her attention to the Toadstool gravestone, her and Samus moving specifically in front of it, closing her eyes and bowing her head (Samus doing the same) before she eventually spoke once more. "Hello mommy...daddy." Peach said, a small but tragic smile appearing on her face. "Sorry it's taken me so long to talk to you guys again" The mushroom princess then squeezed Samus's hand, the two women smiling at one another before turning their attention back to the grave. "It wasn't something I could do on my own but luckily I've been blessed with finding a wonderful family who I love with all my heart that just... gives me the confidence to talk to you again." Peach then leaned a little closer to Samus. "Someday I hope I'll get to introduce you to all of them but for now here's one of my dear friends Samus Aran". The bounty hunter still having her eyes closed gently waved at where she knew the grave was, still clutching Peach's hand even tighter with her other digit. "She's easily one of the strongest and fiercest of our family but... not in a scary way or anything."

"Not intentionally anyway, at least to people like your daughter" Samus said respectfully. "Peach said all the kindness and love in her heart came from you guys so... you must have been some of the most amazing and loving people ever and I wish I could have met you."

"But sadly such things aren't... possible" Peach frowned some, tears forming around her eyes once more as she started crying. "I'm only able to do this now because of Sammie. I just didn't want to accept that you truly are gone that... in the mortal physical sense I can't ever see you again. "Peach put her hand to her heart. "And I know that you're never truly gone as long as there is someone there to remember and love you that as long as you have memories of them, they still live on in your heart. But there's a difference between that and people able to move forward with someone and make new memories and share new things and people and thoughts with them." Samus then opened her eyes to see Peach crying as she extended her hand to wipe away some of the princesses' tears. Peach opened her eyes as well to see Samus doing this, smiling at the bounty hunter as she closed her eyes once again, still sniffling some but starting to talk with more confidence. "However even if you can only hear and feel this from heaven I want to re start up that connection. And tell you all the amazing things and people, the good and even the bad, that have happened to me. How this amazing wonderful time of year we use to share together can still produce so many miracles and make people so happy."

"Like the fact your amazing wonderful daughter resurrected an entire species" Samus pointed out, gently elbowing Peach in the shoulder.

The mushroom princess blushed. "Well it wasn't entirely my doing-"

"Or found that even true absolute evil can be swayed to the light."

Peach thought briefly about her connection to Ganondorf from the Christmas of 2009, blushing even more. "Well that's still a slow process-"

"And right now is going around trying to do the absolute best for everyone here and make their greatest wishes come true" Samus commented, bringing Peach a bit closer to her. "She's someone truly special that I feel blessed to have in my life and know so many who share that feeling."

Peach despite still blushing some did smile and lean into Samus. "I'm just following the love and warmth you've given me mom and dad and sharing that with whomever I can. Because I really do believe now anyone we can talk to... that we can share things with can become our family and again there's... so much family and things I want to share with you." The princess then leaned down, lightly rubbing the gravestone. "But there will be plenty of time for that later. We are safe and protected here in this mansion and are allowed to live here for as long as we wish so... even the effects of aging cannot touch us. So though it will be... quite a while before I can fully see you guys again I will be here telling you what has happened to me and sharing all these new and amazing memories. Knowing... in some form you are getting them so we do not ever loose that connection again." Peach then moved back, gently letting go of Samus's hands as she clasped and folded hers together, the galactic bounty hunter taking a quick peak at what Peach was doing and repeating her motion. "For now though I pray god ensures you get these messages and love from me as quickly as possible and you continue looking down at me and bless me as he does. And in exchange we shall do our best to follow your examples of peace, of love of... purity as much as possible. For all true glory is his from now and forever and we exist here to show we are worthy of that eternal bliss. Amen."

"Amen" Samus said, the two kneeling in silence for a moment. The federation soldier broke the silence, opening her eyes and smirking some. "Didn't expect you to end with a sermon."

"Figured it was appropriate here" Peach said, opening her eyes as well. "They were the ones to teach me their believes so-"

"No it's fine" Samus said shaking her hands. "Just... a bit weird to me especially since... well I'm not even sure we pray to the same god."

"All deities that promote peace and love at least to me are the same" Peach admitted. "I know there are a lot of religions or... at least a lot of groups that try and corrupt the words of the divine or... even have us fight such holy figures and spread such terrible "truths" out there."

"Well sadly all gods aren't crafted the same" Samus held her hand out. "I remember Ike telling me once about how he had to kill one of the gods of his world Ashera who thought everyone was unworthy and turned nearly everyone else to stone."

"I've heard that as well and am glad he was able to stop such a thing from happening. But... honestly the god I pray to that I fully believe in I feel is one who is beyond such bitterness or pettiness. The one that is responsible for the true spirit of the holiday, of our lives in general is just truly loving and good and exists on a plane that we can't get to yet. That only in passing over we will experience and... I want to make sure everyone I know and love is protected until such time we are able to be there and experience such majesty."

Samus looked over a bit surprised. "Huh that's a lot... deeper then I'm used to from you Peach, no offense or anything."

The mushroom princess giggled some. "None taken" she admitted, looking down a bit sadly. "Honestly I normally don't talk about this out loud it's just... well with the spirits and resurrections and all-"

"Yeah guess if there was a time to share your thoughts with the lord, it'd be now."

"Or people who mean just as much to you" Peach then reached over and grabbed Samus's hand. "So if you're ready to share with them, I'm here for support Sammie."

"Thanks I'll... definitely need that" the bounty hunter sighed a few times before the two Smashers positioned themselves in front of gravestone for Virginia and Rodney Aran. The pair closed their eyes and kneeled their heads, Peach extending her hand again to grab Samus's and squeeze it tightly, the bounty hunter returning the squeeze before she spoke out loud. "Hey Mom... Dad it's... me... Samus" Peach then felt the bounty hunter's hand start shaking as memories flooded Samus's head. All focusing on a burning, exploding space colony with screams and blood splattering everywhere. A young three year old girl looks up in sheer terror seeing a giant space dragon looming down, shooting a hellish blast of fire right in front of her. The girl cries out in terror seeing a man and woman being hit by the flames, evaporating into nothing but ash as she erupts into an endless cavalcade of tears, only hearing the sounds of her own crying and the monster's laughing.

In the present Peach opened her eyes to see Samus entire body twitching, trying as hard as possible to stop tears from pooling down her eyes as she started coughing some. "Samus!" Peach cried out, going over and hugging her as tightly as she can. "Samus!" She called out once more, shaking the bounty hunter some.

"P... Peach?" Samus opened her eyes, desperately trying to shake the memories out of her head as she looked down ashamed. "Sorry it's just... thinking back on... on how it happened-"

"You have NOTHING to apologize for" Peach said, as sternly as she could muster as she brought Samus closer, the two starring at one another. "You didn't do anything wrong." She then grabbed Samus's hands. "If you are not ready for this yet, that's okay."

"No I... I am" Samus said, trying to blink the thoughts out of her head. "You shared your pain with me. It's... only fair I do the same."

"It isn't though" Peach pointed out, reflecting on her own memories. "The pain, the terror you went through is not the same I went through."

Samus shook her head more, the memories now fully disappearing as she narrowed her eyes. "It is though." She said, more determined than before. "We... we both lost them so young... so tragically."

"But I didn't lose my home and innocence in the process!" Peach pointed out, crying once more. "There's a difference of waking up as a kid and having one of your servants tell you due to illness they passed in their sleep and knowing they didn't suffered and..." Peach looked away ashamed. "I... I can't even say it. I can't even imagine it... can't even think about it. And I don't even know the full story, just whatever you've shared about it here over the years. And even that I... could not handle." She then looked back at Samus, leaning closer. "But you Samus... you had to go through all of that and more. To experience it... to live it... to... to... move forward and..."

"And because of that, I was allowed to become stronger, to become a warrior who could handle such things" Samus said, reaching over and wiping away Peach's tears, an angry expression appearing on the soldier's face. "I became the greatest hunter in the galaxy and... more than anyone else THEY need to know that" she pointed over at the grave. "They need to know from heaven that... I didn't allow the universe or myself fall into hell. I need to tell them that. NOW. I am... I am not going to let fear or sadness break me again!"

Peach saw Samus's expression and nodded. "Of course" she said as sweetly as she could muster. "Just... tell me what I can do to help."

Samus thought for a moment, beaming a sad smile down at the ground. "Just hold my hand and... support me like I did for you. Just... just don't expect me to be able to give the same kind of nice, heavenly sediments about this, okay?"

Peach simply nodded. "Of course" she said grabbing Samus's hand as the two looked back at the gravesite, closing their eyes.

After a few moments Samus spoke again. "I'm sorry about before father. You and mom told me I needed to be brave and face life head on but... you weren't able to tell me anything else before you were... taken... stolen away... KILLED!" Samus's squeezed Peach's hand roughly, the mushroom princess wincing to herself as Samus pounded the ground with her other fist. "That bastard that... horrible fucking monster Ridley did this. To you, to our home, to our people, and keeps doing that to so many others." Samus's fist dug further into the ground, grabbing onto some dirt and throwing into a bank of nearby snow. "I have hunted him like a rabid dog that has to be put down. For years for... decades and I have killed him so many times but those cowardly pathetic sons of bitches pirates keep bringing that SHIT back. Keep bringing him back to slaughter more people!" Samus then opened her eyes looking at the grave. "But I promise you I will eradicate him for good one day. That I will kill him and ensure he won't EVER come back to hurt to... kill anyone else AGAIN." Samus pointed over at herself. "And through the years I've grown strong, grown powerful enough to keep promises like those. Some I can't and... It hurt so much to realize that but I assure you this one I will." She looked away, breathing a few times. "I wish you could be here and see what I've become. What... I've made of my life" Samus then looked down ashamed. "I know you might not have always agreed with the choices or decisions I've made and sometimes I wish..." she shook her head. "But I've done what I've needed to do and... thanks to so many other wonderful people I've become the warrior the... fighter the universe and everyone has needed me to be." She then looked over at Peach, bringing the mushroom princess closer. "And thanks to my new family with brothers I'll introduce you to later and sisters like her I've... reclaimed my humanity and not just become this empty soulless shell you wouldn't even recognize."

"It's true" Peach said with a smile, waving over at the grave stone. "You have a wonderful daughter Mr. and Mrs. Aran who would give anything to save someone without even needing anything in return."

"Well there is one thing I need" Samus said, again tightly squeezing the mushroom princess's hand. "There are so many families and people I've lost. So much tragedy even beyond you guys that... I do need stability and connections. At first I thought that was just weakness or fluff but... I need something... people to fight for. Ones that... unlike you and so so many others I don't have to just hold in my heart and memories. Ones I can still be and share things with."

"Something everyone needs" Peach said, going over and kissing Samus on the cheek. "That's why your daughter asked her Christmas wish to be this gravesite not just for herself or even me but for every one of our family. So everyone can share what who they've lost in a safe, loving place to fully get over their grief."

"Since it turns out there's a lot of other monsters and terrors out there that have taken away things from so many people. But especially on this holiday we need to remember what we have lost and what we have gone through to truly appreciate what we have now and who we have to share that with. It helps make us better people and... Share connections that really make us stronger." She put her hand on the gravesite. "Someday soon I'll be strong enough to make other grave sites here to be able to introduce you to old birdie, to Adam to the kid to... everyone I loved who is no longer with me. As well as those I love who still are. For now though I want you to know that as much as your loss still hurts I... will not let that weigh me down. Not let it stop me for being there for the rest of my family. For doing what needs to be done and... Eradicating the worst horrid scum from this or any universe. My strength comes from those who love me, those I love and those who need and deserve that love. I hope you receive this report, this call efficiently in heaven and that you know your daughter is doing well. That she will not allow adversity to break her that she will always fight through it. And that strength started with you and... Will continue blazing forward as long as it is needed." She then closed her eyes and stopped squeezing Peach's hand, instead clasping her own together with Peach repeating the motion. "I'm not really that religious like my sister besides me but god thank you for... helping me find ones who can bring out my strength and... rediscover my soul. And know I will continue evaporating the forces of the devil and all his followers for as long as I am able. Amen."

"Amen" Peach said, the two simply kneeling down for a while.

Eventually Samus broke the silence, sighing some. "Sorry if I got... sort of intense at points."

Peach shook her head. "Samus you have NOTHING to be sorry for."

"Yeah but... between the anger and the cursing and the... talk of death and revenge-"

"Everyone grieves in their own way" Peach said pointing at herself. "If you don't mind me being a bit of a preachy crybaby-"

"Then... you don't mind if I'm a bit of an angry jack ass?"

"Of course not though I would not say you were a jack... behind here."

Samus actually chuckled some. "Jack behind?" She shook her head. "Heh, Surgio doesn't swear either just so he can make up more out there insults, but I've never heard anyone use jack behind before."

"Honestly I'd prefer no one to really swear and just say jack behinds instead of that... other word, but I can't really force others to act that way."

"You could try setting up a swear jar or something."

"I did try but Wario kept stealing all the money and got people to swear more so..."

"Yeah some people in our family kind of suck more than others" Samus then smiled, going over and hugging Peach tightly. "You however Peach though not my personal favorite are... probably the best of us."

"I... I wouldn't say that" Peach said, a small blush appearing on her cheeks.

"Well duh your modesty about that is part of what makes you so great but you are." Peach then returned the hug, as Samus looked over at the grave. "I admit though I would of loved to you know really be with them again this... is the next best thing and I... honestly do feel better letting that out."

"Me too" Peach said, a bright pure smile on her face. "And wanting to share this with me and everyone I think is just so incredibly special." Peach then kissed Samus on the forehead, this actually surprising the hunter some. "It really shows you have as much love and compassion as you do strength and ferocity that... I am so glad you decided to share with me."

"My pleasure" Samus said, lightly messing up Peach's hair as the bounty hunter stood up, stretching some. "Well I don't want to keep you any longer Miss After Hours Extra Secret Santa."

"I don't mind being here as long as I need to" Peach admitted.

"Well honestly after all this emotional connection I really could go for shooting down some Wild West scoundrels with the gang" she looked down at Peach. "When you're done granting your yuletide miracles I'll let you know when I feel up to making graves for the others."

"Sure thing" Peach said turning back to the graves. "To be honest though I still want to sit here and... pray a bit, if you don't mind."

"I don't" Samus said turning away, waving as she started making her way back to the mansion. "Merry after Christmas Peach."

"Merry after Christmas to you too Sammie" Peach said with a happy huge smile on her face.

Samus continued walking along; rubbing her forehead somewhere Peach had kissed her. 'I... guess I shouldn't be surprised she wants to be that close. Without barriers or barricades or...anything' the bounty hunter thought, moving her hand down and making a fist. 'One day we'll have that but... sorry I'm not ready for that with you princess. Even after this. There's still stuff I don't want you... can't let you see... .' she then rubbed her cheek, quickly flicking away a tear that was hidden. 'For some reason I can't... fully trust you like that. Don't know why. I mean even that whole getting us to emote move had a purpose so... guess some trust issues take forever to get over.' She quickly took a look back at peach, smiling a bit and putting her hands in her pockets. 'One day we'll have that level of trust though Peach and until then... thank you for not hiding from me. I really appreciate... really need that.'

The princess then watched Samus head into the mansion, closing the door behind her. Once Samus was no longer in sight, Peach turned back to the grave of the Arans, clasping her hands tightly as she was shown crying, her body shaking. "I'm so, so sorry" she said, memories of the angels building the pedestals and the sundial for the platform of the Holy Sacrifice Ritual and Peach looking up at it before fainting. In the present her tears hit the dirt of the gravestone as she tried wiping away all the water staining her face. "I was going to sacrifice your wonderful daughter... going to sacrifice our family and so many others because... I thought that was the right thing to do." She looked down ashamed. "I thought by giving them what they wanted it would be okay to take them but... I don't even know now if doing it in that way would have made them reach you. If... if my sin became their sin then we might of..." she shuddered some looking back up at the grave site determined. "Well I promise I will never allow myself to do that again. I... have family I know could stop me but... I have to stop myself as well."

"Seeing what you were doing filled me with such hope and joy I haven't experienced in ages." Peach recalled Samus saying to her in flashback. "And then to find out it didn't happen... hurt so, so much. And... And I want to know why Peach. Why you would honestly lie to me like that... hurt me so much when... when you should BE better than that."

"I'm not going to hurt Samus like that ever again... I promise you" Peach whispered to the gravestone, looking over at the one for her parents. "I was raised better than that and... I'm sorry my weakness became her agony." She then looked at her own shaking hand. "I just wish I was strong enough to tell her... tell everyone the truth. But I'm not. I... don't want them to know what I could have done. I don't want them to hate me to... think lesser of me. And for that I... beg your forgiveness Virginia... Rodney... mom... dad... god... anyone else who hears this that... couldn't tell them." Peach continued kneeling there trying to stop herself from crying more as the camera zoomed out on that scene.

Well hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this story everyone. Yeah THIS is a scene I've wanted to make in a sense for years but didn't have a story to really attach it too. I do now though that I really hope you love but again that will come later. For now though let me know what you guys think and such down in the comments below and have a very happy albeit belated holiday season.


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